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Newsgroups: net.jokes
Subject: Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble...
Message-ID: <4908@decwrl.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 12-Jan-84 12:58:32 EST
Article-I.D.: decwrl.4908
Posted: Thu Jan 12 12:58:32 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 14-Jan-84 03:15:05 EST
Sender: root@decwrl.UUCP
Organization: DEC Western Research Lab, Los Altos, CA
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From: spider::miller  (Ed Miller)
	    THE BUBBLE ON THE CHART

	        by Inez M. Kirby
	

	'Twas a mild winters evening
	And a goodly crowd had banned
	To fill the local tavern
	Leaving barely room to stand.

	As the songs and the cheerful laughter
	Filled the room from walls to floor
	A bent and twisted figure
	Staggered through the open door.

	A gasp, a shriek, a stammered "Look!"
	Turned merriment to gloom
	As all eyes turned to gaze upon
	The presence in the room.

	Horror filled the gathered throng
	The crowd withdrew in fear.
	His sunken eyes and haggard face
	Wad filled with ought but cheer.

	An albatross, had he but worn.
	Could not have wrought more fright
	The red-rimmed eyes, the unkempt hair
	He looked a gastly sight.

	"The funeral parlors down the street"
	Spoke up a faceless voice.
	"The parlor wouldn't take that thing,
	Not if they had a choice."

	"He looks as though he's just been through
	A fight, a trial, or test."
	"Yes!, and what is worse he looks as though
	He came out second best."

	This humor did the poor wretch take
	In fact he gave a grin.
	He scratched his beard and then he spoke
	The room was still again.

	"If you don't mind, I'd like to rest
	I've not slept in many days."
	"Then why don't you go get a job,
	And change your wicked ways!"
	He fixed his swollen, half shut eyes
	Upon the voice that spoke.
	He grinned, he chortled, then he laughed
	As though he'd heard a joke.

	Walking slowly to the bar
	He ordered up a beer
	"I'll tell you a funny story
	One I know you'd like to hear."

	Quaffing down his cooling drink
	He turned to face the crowd.
	"Once I was a clean cut youth,
	Healthy, Happy, Proud.

	"Yes! I was once a decent man.
	Tis hard to believe I know.
	But I was-some four or five months back,
	Even though it doesn't show.

	"I was a programmer.
	No, not a coder, tech or clerk.
	But an analyst-an artist
	Who knew how to do his work.

	"I programmed this and debugged that.
	Finished each task in time.
	And as my programs bugfree ran,
	My star began to climb.

	"Then one day it happened.
	My rising star did beam.
	For I was asked to join the 
	Mighty Systems Team.

	"Why don't you laugh? 'Tis funny
	When you think about it some.
	That such a task could ever use
	This dirty wretched bum.

	"But 'twas so and for an hour or two
	My work progressed quite well.
	'Til someone checked the perted chart
	Then my schedule went ot hell.
	"I hadn't met a bubble that was
	Due on June the 7
	It mattered not that I came on
	The job June 11.

	"But they told me not to worry,
	They would help me do my chore.
	Instead of working just eight hours,
	They allowed me twenty-four.

	"They didn't let me eat or sleep,
	And yet they couldn't figure,
	Why every time they saw the pert
	My bubble had grown bigger.

	"HURRY! HURRY! Get it done!
	Was all that they could say.
	My teeth grew weak, my body thin
	My hair began to gray.

	"My voice went numb; my skin turned pale,
	I started seeing double.
	But they cared not--their prime concern--
	That ever growing bubble.

	"One day I tried to run away.
	I used to be a sprinter.
	They caught me in the parking lot
	And chained me to the printer.

	"And there I stayed for months on end,
	'Til one day they said--Okay.
	No sooner had my chains come off
	Than I made my get away."

	As he spoke this final sentence
	He was walking toward the door.
	When suddenly he gripped his throat
	And fell, DEAD, upon the floor.

	Around his neck they found a tag
	Like diabetics wear.
	Engraved upon this self same tag
	This message written there:

	IF YOU SHOULD FIND THIS WAYWARD SOUL
	WHETHER HE'S SAFE OR HE'S IN TROUBLE
	SEND HIM BACK, HE ISN'T THROUGH
	HE'S GOT ANOTHER BUBBLE.



Ed Miller

	(UUCP)		{decvax,ucbvax,allegra}!decwrl!rhea!spider!miller

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